In 2024, a joint report by MED TUHAD-FED and ÖHD unveiled alarming human rights abuses in 91 Turkish prisons. Through interviews with inmates, they revealed cruel treatment and dehumanizing conditions, encompassing severe physical abuse, arbitrary bans on the Kurdish language, and unhygienic environments where basic cleaning supplies are costly and often unavailable. Psychology is strained as access to information remains severely restricted, with denied access to media, particularly to the pro-Kurdish publication ‘Yeni Yaşam’.
Censorship permeates the prisons, especially targeting the Kurdish language, with officials confiscating Kurdish literature and punishing linguistic expressions. Prisoners face verbal and physical harassment for simply speaking their native tongue, undermining a fundamental human right embedded in international law. Medical care is equally deficient, as sick inmates face degrading treatment during prison-to-hospital transfers, often risking lives due to unnecessary searches and confinement.
Delays and refusals of prisoner releases are prevalent, with decisions swayed by arbitrary measures often unrelated to actual behavior. Monitoring committees, composed of untrained personnel, focus their inquiries on political beliefs rather than rehabilitation potential, leading to unjust extensions of incarceration. Critical recommendations urged both national and international bodies to intervene, demanding an end to inhumane practices and the establishment of humane conditions aligned with human rights standards.
Key proposals urge the cessation of degrading practices like strip searches, abolition of unjust prison types, and legal reforms to ensure future violations cease. In addition, the establishment of independent oversight for monitoring human rights issues within prisons is crucial. Agencies like the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture must take urgent steps to uphold prisoner rights and welfare, reinforcing that human dignity must remain a fundamental pillar of justice.
A report by MED TUHAD-FED and ÖHD details severe human rights violations in 91 Turkish prisons in 2024 based on inmate interviews. Findings include physical abuse, language bans, poor hygiene, restricted access to information, and medical neglect. Recommendations for urgent reforms demand cessation of degrading practices, abolition of certain prison types, and establishment of independent oversight to protect prisoners’ rights.
The report from MED TUHAD-FED and ÖHD underscores a dire call to action against the shocking human rights violations within Turkish prisons. With critical recommendations aimed at abolishing dehumanizing practices and ensuring the safeguarding of prisoners’ rights, the urgency for reform has never been clearer. Immediate steps are essential for creating humane prison environments rooted in fundamental human dignity and freedom of expression.
The report highlights systemic issues in Turkish prisons, emphasizing the enduring plight of prisoners subjected to human rights violations and mistreatment. Various organizations have raised concerns regarding the conditions in which these inmates exist, suggesting a need for intervention from both domestic and international authorities. The focus is on restoring dignity and ensuring compliance with human rights laws that protect individuals from inhumane treatment, torture, and discrimination.
Original Source: anfenglish.com
